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Guinea - Ebola: Thread documenting initial outbreak - March 2014 +

March 14th, 2014, 10:08 AM

Translation Google

Guinea : A strange fever in 8 deaths Macenta

CONAKRY (Xinhua) - A disease whose nature has not yet been identified caused the death of eight people in the prefecture of Macenta , in south- eastern Guinea , Thursday revealed Dr Sakoba Keita , Director of the Division prevention of diseases in the Department of Health.

Friday, March 14, 2014 | 6:21 UTC

Dr Sakoba Keita who spoke on the antennae state media announced the departure of a team of experts on Friday to Macenta , located about 800 kilometers from the capital Conakry to conduct sampling on site , in order to determine the nature of this disease .

He stressed, however it manifests itself in the form of hemorrhagic fever , according to the finding reported cases have been fatal to 8 people Prefecture Macenta . Which suddenly could think of Lassa fever '' '' Has he said.

He recalled that the '' '' Lassa fever showed not very long ago in a Liberian village , not far from the Macenta prefecture .

Dr Sakoba said that the Guinean authorities alerted partners health issues , including the World Health Organization (WHO) , following this strange disease that has been declared in southern Guinea .

Note that the '' '' Lassa fever is a devastating hemorrhagic fever caused by a '' named arenavirus Lassa, Ebola close , first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa in the State Borno , Nigeria . " This disease is most common in west Africa .

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

Guinéenews : What do you know about this strange disease that exists right now in the Forest Region including Macenta ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : Actually, we do not know yet what disease it is. These are symptoms of fever, vomiting , diarrhea, fatigue, and weakness with ...

For now, our services have registered 15 cases with 9 deaths . What is gravity, is that among the deaths was 4 health workers including the director of the hospital Macenta . It all started with the Major General Medicine Hospital Guékédou . In fact, these are the people who took part in the funeral ceremony of medical staff, who are mostly developing this disease.

Guinéenews : So the disease was reported for the first time in Guéckédou ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : Actually the first case appeared to Guéckédou . As the director of the hospital Macenta had kinship with the Major, he went to take part in the funeral of the latter to Guéckédou . On his return home to Macenta , it was found that already developed the disease then it was one of his adoptive and after , the lab that examined who had the disease and so on.

Guinéenews : How far the disease spreads ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : Today was 15 cases. There are some who are scattered . There is a case that was hospitalized Kissidougou . There have been cases in Guéckédou Macenta . A Macenta , there are between three to four cases and a case that has left Macenta to be hospitalized N'Zérékoré . I said that the director of the hospital Macenta came to see death coming back to Kindia . Here's the route of this disease.

Guinéenews : Faced with this disease , what are the emergency services already taken by your provisions ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : Among the measures we have already sent a medical team that is currently underway ... We take action for personal and collective protection with drugs that are now starting to unravel the case .

Guinéenews : This disease is really misunderstood of all time , as a doctor, what do you recommend to people not to catch ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : We are doing everything to understand this disease. But apparently , the cases have been contaminated by contact. That is why we asked the isolation of these cases and prevent any visit. We are taking disinfection products that our teams will send for spraying homes. At the moment, there is only one case that has been tinted sealed with blood. Because at first we thought it was '' tired '' hemorrhagic fever ... but the 15 cases, there 's only one who did this. so that you can not conclude that it is hemorrhagic Lassa fever . Because in this fever is bleeding is the main symptom. And as for this disease are vomiting first then diarrhea .

Guinéenews : Some speak of Lassa fever in designating this disease, do you confirm that?

Dr Sakoba Keita : No. For now, we do not know what disease it is. At the time I speak, of yesterday night to today, we've had reports 8 cases , 15 different diarrhea and vomiting.Here , our services have made ​​rapid tests cholera and found 4 cases. But here we can not take these cases as cholera until there is no culture and we do not reaffirm the laboratory.That is why I asked the team to send me as soon arrival of the samples we really know if there is cholera or not .

Guinéenews : Contagion is therefore by body contact or by breathing ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : The patient is transmitted through body contact.

Guinéenews : Do you think actually have the necessary expertise needed to cope with the emergency?

Dr Sakoba Keita : What remains clear , we all partners and relevant Guinean moving services . There WHO sent two people , our services have sent a team like Médecins Sans Frontières ( MSF) will send next week Team specializes in infections. There is also the University of Marseille, just contact me so we can associate it with the highlighting of the case. In short, since we made ​​the statement , there is enough partners who want to partner with us to not only identify but in order to meet international health standards because this disease occurs in a border region.

Guinéenews : How long the first cases are updated ?

Dr Sakoba Keita : The case began from the sixth week , if you want since last February .

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

Since this weekend, the population of the city of Gueckédou blows hot and cold. Because a mysterious disease continues to cause death . Hospital sources , six people have died from this disease.

Other sources speak of eight died Gueckédou city center. All evoke the same symptoms in patients fever and agitation marked by bleeding from the nostrils.

In Baladou neighborhood in the urban district , six people from the same family died of the same disease. Frightened , the other members of the family fled to try to escape the epidemic. On everyone's lips in the urban center , we talk about this mysterious disease whose diagnosis and identification are still not made by medical services.

The first hypotheses talk Lassa fever . According to the Director of the Prefectural Health Guékédou we attached the phone, nothing is confirmed yet. Dr. Mariam Aicha Keita told us: "We have seen the case since Sunday , nobody can say that it is a Lassa fever came Nzérékoré medical team conducted yesterday sampling of some bedridden patients by the . . district hospital . Through the support of the NGO MSF ( Doctors Without Borders) these samples were sent to a laboratory in Brussels. We await the results of these tests to find out what disease is it ''

Pending the outcome of these samples , all already talking about Lassa fever , a disease characterized by a fulminant bleeding ( caused by an arenavirus named Lassa virus ), close to Ebola , first described in 1969 in the city of Lassa , in Borno State , Nigeria. Several other cities in the Guinean Forest Region are already affected by this epidemic.
We will return

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

City Guékédou in Forest Guinea is currently affected by a disease qualified by some of mysterious '' '' manifested by vomiting accompanied by diarrhea and mouth bleeding, anal , nasal and ear which killed 9, from Saturday 15 to Monday, March 17 , in the Urban Community (CU ), according to the corresponding AGP prefecture .

The first 8 cases were reported last week in the Prefectural Hospital (HP) and 2 cases of deaths in Baladou , the first is a 3 year old child died Wednesday , 12 and the second a 18 year old , died Friday , March 14.
Health staff of the prefecture is working to find the causes of this condition until the intervention of the Ministry of Health .

With HP / cooperation Doctors Without Borders (MSF ) Switzerland, patients who have resisted have received good support . They were subjected to intense care, but despite these efforts the case of death could not be avoided.

Pending the arrival of a mission of the Department of guardianship, health district officials Guéckédou uses channels of the local Rural Radio ( RR) , to ask people to refer directly to the hospital for all cases of diarrhea and vomiting, with or without bleeding for their support in time.

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

While we do not know the name so far and cure for this mysterious disease , new victims are counted in the city of Tchiendènan Dembadouno , Guekedou . Hospital sources report thirteen dead already .

Other independent sources speak of twenty dead. A resident reached by telephone said to have seven members of the family died . He testified: '' I like that instead of death. Since Sunday I lost five members of my family. The sixth passed away yesterday. Everyone talks of Lassa fever . It starts with the hot body, followed by vomiting and especially bleeding in the nostrils .... I can not tell you exactly how many died. What I know is that there are at least twenty dead. Because some deaths are not recorded in the hospital. Some villages like Mèliandou in CRD Tekoulo also recorded several deaths the same symptoms .''

According to our information , a delegation from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO ) is expected on site Tuesday. Pending the arrival of the delegation, and the results of blood tests to detect the type of disease agents MSF ( Doctors Without Borders ) are deployed in the field. Another MSF team from Sierra Leone is expected this afternoon in the town of Guéckédou to help the sick.

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

Conakry, Guinea: An outbreak of hemorrhagic fever has killed at least 23 people in Guinea's southeastern forest region since February when the first case was reported, health authorities in the West African nation said on Wednesday.

At least 35 cases have been recorded by local health officials, said Sakoba Keita, the doctor in charge of the prevention of epidemics in Guinea's Health Ministry.

"Symptoms appear as diarrhoea and vomiting, with a very high fever. Some cases showed relatively heavy bleeding," Keita said...

In recent days, a mysterious fever is Macenta in the Forest Region , Guinea Conakry. This mysterious epidemic has caused more than 25 deaths since its appearance.

Special Envoy N'zérékoré

In recent days, a mysterious fever is Macenta in the Forest Region , Guinea Conakry. This mysterious epidemic has caused more than 25 deaths since its appearance.

According Doualamou Germain , a health agent in N'zérékoré met on the morning of 20 March, the mysterious fever broke out in Macenta first where it caused the death of 10 people and has spread to Guéckédou locality located 80 kilometers away. Experts point out that the symptoms of this disease are similar to Lassa fever , a disease that causes high fever, vomiting and bleeding from the nose and anus .

A N'zérékoré is stupor and many questions from people who complain about the lack of communication in relation to this disease. Yarie Camara market that runs between Macenta N'zérékoré and said she stopped going to Macenta because she is afraid to catch the fever . And appeals to the authorities: "I learned that it was a Liberian who sent this virus to Macenta , but I deplore the fact that the authorities do not communicate enough to inform people ."

Dr Touré Sinata , N'zérékoré doctor is cautious and said that "for the moment , we had no case . But we had a patient who came Guéckédou and died . But , we did sample and results are pending. I ask people to be cautious . "

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

Death Toll from Guinea Hemorrhagic Fever Rises to 29
Reuters
March 21, 2014

CONAKRY — The death toll from an outbreak of a hemorrhagic fever in Guinea's southeastern forest region has climbed to 29, while the number of cases has risen to 49, a health ministry official in the west African country said on Friday.

Sakoba Keita, in charge of the prevention of epidemics, said preliminary results from tests carried out in France to identify the disease were so far inconclusive. "However, we are narrowing it down to Ebola and Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever (MHF)," Keita said...

Conakry, March 21, 2014 - Since February 9, 2014 , our country has experienced febrile diseases in some districts of the forest and Guinea Conakry. To date, 49 cases of febrile illnesses , including 29 deaths were reported .

These cases were recorded in the prefectures of Guéckédou Macenta , Kissidougou and Conakry. This disease is characterized by a fever , diarrhea , vomiting , fatigue pronounced and sometimes bleeding. Faced with this situation, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with its partners has fielded a mission early investigation to determine the nature of this disease. Initial results confirm the presence of a responsible hemorrhagic fever virus. This disease has caused a significant number of deaths is mainly transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person and also from contaminated belonging to ill or deceased persons objects. Also, the consumption of meat from animals infected bush can it also be a source of contamination.

SITUATION THIS BRINGS THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THIS DECLARATION FEVER EPIDEMIC IN GUINEA viral haemorrhagic .

Consequently, the Ministry of Health has taken the following measures : Free treatment for all patients in the isolation centers , Information populations on individual and collective hygiene , exclusive Accountability treatment of patients deceased body staff health and the Guinean red Cross to limit contamination , Census of all people who have had direct contact with the patients who died and those with the signs mentioned above , Diffusion awareness messages in the media (radio, TV, internet). Ladies and gentlemen, the Government in this period of epidemic prompt: a) Health services : a. to take all steps to inform medical personnel on preventive measures and treatment of this disease b . to report any suspected cases recorded in the prevention and fight against the disease Division , c. to inform patients and their families on hygiene measures individually and collectively , b) populations : a. to remain calm because adequate measures are taken to control the disease , b . to report any suspected cases to the nearest health authorities , c. the practice of hygiene individual and collective actions which are: remediation , handwashing with soap and chlorine or bleach . The Government expresses its appreciation to partners for their support since the beginning of the epidemic and took the opportunity to rely on the actions they lead to our side for the control and eradication of this disease.

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

Comment

Guinea confirms Ebola as source of deadly epidemic
(AFP) – 26 minutes ago
Conakry — Guinea identified the Ebola virus Saturday as the source of a highly contagious epidemic raging through its southern forests, as the death toll rose to 34.
Experts in the west African nation had been unable to identify the disease, whose symptoms -- diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding -- were first observed six weeks ago, but scientists in the French city of Lyon confirmed it was Ebola, the Guinean health ministry said.
"We got the first results from Lyon yesterday (Friday) which informed us of the presence of the Ebola virus as the cause of this outbreak," Sakoba Keita, the ministry's chief disease prevention officer told AFP.
"Up to today we have identified 49 cases with 34 deaths in four prefectures."
...http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...0-daf4f0bd1f4c

Twitter: @RonanKelly13
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

The Ebola virus has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of hemorraghic fever now believed to have killed nearly 60 people in southern Guinea, government officials say.

Dozens of cases have been recorded since the outbreak began early last month.

"We got the first results from Lyon yesterday (Friday) which informed us of the presence of the Ebola virus as the cause of this outbreak," Sakoba Keita, chief disease prevention officer at the Guinean health ministry, told AFP.

"The Ebola fever epidemic raging in southern Guinea since 9 February has left at least 59 dead out of 80 cases identified by our services on the ground," he said.

"We are overwhelmed in the field, we are fighting against this epidemic with all the means we have at our disposal with the help of our partners but it is difficult."

Six of the 12 samples sent for analysis tested positive for Ebola, Dr. Sakoba Keita, who heads the epidemics prevention division at Guinea's health ministry, told Reuters.
...
"But you have to understand that not all the cases are necessarily due to Ebola fever. Some will have other origins, including a form of severe dysentery," Keita said.
...
(Additional reporting by Umaru Fofana in Freetown; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Eric Walsh)http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/0...A2L0MI20140322

Twitter: @RonanKelly13
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

We have detected Ebola virus among 6 samples (from clinical cases) using RT-PCR assays and viral isolation is in progress.

We are currently analyzing the sequences of different amplified viral fragments to further characterize the strain involved.

Sequencing of a part of the L gene has already showed strong homology to Zaire Ebolavirus, suggesting that this species is responsible for the outbreak. This is consistent with the dramatic mortality observed.
--
Sylvain Baize & Delphine Pannetier, National Reference Center for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers - Institut Pasteur / INSERM BSL4 Laboratory. Lyon, France, sylvain.baize@inserm.fr

[ProMED is grateful to Drs. Baize and Pannetier for this prompt firsthand report of the detection of Ebola virus from Guinea in 6 of 7 clinical cases (and apparently in none of 5 contacts) from the Guinea hemorrhagic fever outbreak that began in early February 2014. Preliminary sequencing of a portion of the virus is compatible with the Zaire species. This is presumably the same species causing disease in neighboring Sierra Leone. Further results including virus isolation and confirmatory sequencing are eagerly awaited.

As noted above, Zaire Ebolavirus is highly lethal with case fatality rates of up to 90&#37; and is considered the most lethal species of Ebolavirus. It has been responsible for large outbreaks in the past; the most recent of these was in DR Congo in 2008 with 32 cases and 14 deaths for a CFR of 44 per cent. Detection of Zaire ebolavirus raises the already high level of concern for this event.

"The Ebola virus is comprised of five distinct species: Bundibugyo, Ivory Coast, Reston, Sudan and Zaire. Bundibugyo, Sudan and Zaire species have been associated with large Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreaks in Africa, while the Ivory Coast and Reston species have not. EHF [Ebola hemorrhagic fever] is a febrile haemorrhagic illness which causes death in 25-90% of all cases. The Ebola Reston species, found in the Philippines, can infect humans, but no illness or death in humans has been reported to date."

Faced with the rapid thrust of Ebola , authorities and partners mobilize

The Guinean authorities , UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières ( MSF) are underway to respond to the rapid thrust face of the epidemic of Ebola hemorrhagic fever called , who made 59 of 80 dead case in Guinea , according to a new report state media confirmed Saturday night by the Guinean health authorities.

Of the 80 people who contracted the disease so far in Guinea , including Macenta Guékédou and Kissidougou forest region and most recently in Conakry, at least 59 are dead, according to a statement from UNICEF, who reported three children killed so far.

In front of a blazing Ebola thrust Guinea , UNICEF announced that immediately comes five tons of medicines and medical equipment to the most affected areas to reduce the risk to children in a country where hospitals are already low .

For UNICEF Representative in Guinea , Dr. Mohamed Ag Ayoya his institution has already prepositioned inputs and accentuated the communication field to inform and educate medical staff and the public on measures to be taken in order to prevent fever.

For specialists, the disease is particularly devastating because medical personnel are among the first victims . To date, it has killed at least eight health workers.

For its part, the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières ( MSF) has announced the launch of an emergency in Guinea with the deployment of twenty doctors, nurses, logisticians and specialists in hygiene and sanitation on the spot , according to his statement.

For its part, the Guinean government has dispatched experts in the field while promising free treatment for patients. At last , the Guinean Minister of Health , Colonel Remy Lamah , en route to the forest region.

According to UNICEF, Ebola is spread through contact with infected people or animals . It is manifested by a fever , diarrhea , vomiting , fatigue pronounced and sometimes bleeding.

According to WHO, there exite currently no treatment or vaccine against this terrible disease. However, if the first symptoms allow the medical profession to make a quick diagnosis, disease progression can be circumscribed according to doctor.

By Writing RTL.fr , With AFP | Published 23/03/2014 at 17h17
Health International

The outbreak of Ebola , a deadly hemorrhagic fever raging in southern Guinea , reached the capital Conakry according to UNICEF .

The deadly Ebola outbreak in Guinea reached the capital , Conakry , said Unicef ​​( United Nations Fund for Children ) Sunday , March 23.

" Of the 80 people who contracted the disease so far in Guinea , at least 59 have died . During the last days , the disease spread rapidly communities Macenta Guékédou and Kissidougou ( south ed) to capital , Conakry , "said UNICEF in a statement. UNICEF says at least three of the victims of the epidemic , which began on February 9 , are children.

Conakry , large city located on the Atlantic coast , in the 1.5 to two million people , according to estimates.

" In Guinea , a country where health facilities are already low , a disease like this can be devastating ," said Dr. Mohamed Ag Ayoya , UNICEF Representative in Guinea.

Ebola is characterized by a fever , diarrhea , vomiting , fatigue and sometimes pronounced bleeding. It is among the most contagious and deadly to humans, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There is no treatment or vaccine .

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -Nelson Mandela

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